Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J M Pouilles

Publications and source records attributed to J M Pouilles.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Withdrawal of hormone replacement therapy is associated with significant vertebral bone loss in postmenopausal women.

This study aimed to assess the changes in vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) after cessation of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women who had been treated on a long-term basis. Fifty healthy postmenopausal women who had been followed both during the course of HRT and after cessation of treatment in our menopause clinic were included in this study. All women had started HRT within the first 3 years after the postmenopause and had received HRT (either 1.5 mg/day of 17 beta-estradiol given percutaneously or 50 micrograms/day of 17 beta-estradiol given as a transdermal patch, combined in all women with natural progesterone or a 19-norprogesterone derivative) for a mean 5 +/- 2.4 years. In all women, vertebral BMD was assessed during the course of HRT up to the last 6 months before estrogen withdrawal, then at least once within the first 18 months after cessation of treatment. Of the initial population, 30 women were additionally reviewed later on and up to 8 years after cessation of treatment (mean duration of follow-up for the whole population: 3.9 +/- 1.7 years). Rates of changes in vertebral BMD were compared with those determined in a group of healthy untreated women who had been followed within the first years of postmenopause during the same time period as the study population. In the study group, bone loss was found to accelerate within the first 2 years after HRT withdrawal and the annual rate of loss was identical to that which occurs within the first 2 years of postmenopause in untreated women (-1.64% +/- 1.3% vs -1.52 +/- 0.9%, NS). Beyond this first 2-year time period, the annual rate of bone loss decreased as a function of time following cessation of treatment, as was observed following the menopause in untreated women (between 3 and 5 years: -0.83% + 1.35% in the study group vs -0.70% +/- 0.8% in the control group, NS). On average, 3 years after cessation of HRT mean vertebral BMD when expressed as a Z-score was significantly higher (-0.13 vs -0.89, p < 0.01) than at baseline, before HRT was started, which suggested a lasting beneficial effect on bone mass. However, even though our findings do not support the hypothesis that bone loss might continue to be accelerated several years after cessation of treatment we cannot fully address the question as to whether any residual benefit on bone mass over a longer period of time may be observed. In conclusion, the pattern of bone loss observed after cessation of estrogen therapy was found to be comparable to that which occurs in younger women within the first years after the menopause. Such a pattern needs to be kept in mind when the decision to stop HRT is taken, especially in women who were given HRT to prevent osteoporosis. The issue of assessing their risk of fracture several years after cessation of treatment thus needs to be addressed.

Bone Density↗

Accuracy and precision of in vivo bone mineral measurements in sheep using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

We evaluated the precision and accuracy of in vivo measurements of spine bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in five ewes using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, Lunar DPX-L). The short-term in vivo reproducibility expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV) varied from 0.9 to 1.6% for spine BMD and from 1 to 3.1% for spine BMC. The ex vivo measurements, performed in 20 cm of water to simulate soft tissue thickness, correlated closely with the in vivo measurements, yielding an r value of 0.98 and 0.97 for spine BMD and BMC, respectively. The accuracy was determined by comparing the total BMC of each vertebra measured in vivo with the corresponding ash weight. The correlation coefficient between the two measurements was r = 0.98, with an accuracy error of 5.6%. We concluded that the DXA allows a precise and accurate measurement of spine bone mineral in live ewes using the methodology designed for humans.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

[Bone densitometry].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

[Estrogens and selective estrogen receptor modulators in the treatment of osteoporosis].

Estrogen deficiency is the major determinant of bone loss, not only in the first years postmenopause, but also throughout the entire life and in the elderly. Major progress in the knowledge of cellular actions of estrogens has been made leading to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of different estrogen-deficiency related diseases such as osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and also maybe cerebral aging. Estrogen replacement therapy remains the first choice treatment in the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, but the continuous aging process of the female population raises the question of a better strategy of action in a more efficient prevention of hip fractures. Moreover, the potential gynecological effects of estrogens are likely to limit their indications or long-term use. The development of new compounds, called SERMs (selective estrogen receptor modulators), with both agonist and antagonist estrogen actions, in particular with no negative effects on the uterus and the breast opens new therapeutical insights into the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Age Factors↗

Coronary heart disease risk factors and menopause: a study in 1684 French women.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between menopause and various risk factors for coronary heart diseases (CHD) in a large sample of French women aged 45 65 years. One thousand six hundred and eighty-four consecutive healthy women who received a systematic check-up in our Menopause Unit were included in this study. All the women answered a computer-assisted questionnaire which comprised 156 items, 72 questions being exclusively related to the identification of familial and personal cardio-vascular risk factors. Biological measurements were performed to evaluate lipid-lipoprotein profile and fasting glucose levels. Women, none of whom were treated with hormonal replacement therapy, were classified as postmenopausal according to the date of their last menses and levels of serum FSH and estradiol (n = 1200). Perimenopausal women were further subdivided into two subgroups according to the regularity of their menstrual cycles and FSH levels (early (n = 143) and late (n = 341) perimenopause). 12% (n = 205) of the women were currently receiving lipid-lowering drugs (84.4% postmenopausal vs. 15.6% perimenopausal). When all women were considered, menopause was associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia (serum total cholesterol level > 250 mg/dl + LDL cholesterol level > 160 mg/dl). This higher prevalence in postmenopausal women was also found when the analysis was restricted to women aged 45 55 years, which rather suggests an effect of menopause than of age. Of the women not receiving hypolipidemic treatments, postmenopausal women had significantly higher serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL , VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B and lower levels of HDL cholesterol than perimenopausal women. Multivariate analysis indicated that these effects were independent of age, body mass index and years since menopause. The prevalence of other metabolic disturbances was much more lower. On average, perimenopausal women had significantly less CHD risk factors than postmenopausal women (P < 0.0001). Fifty-two per cent of the perimenopausal women had none of the risk factors studied as compared with 39% of the postmenopausal women (P < 0.0001). This study shows that menopause was associated with a higher prevalence of risk factors for CHD.

Aged↗

Effects of cyclical etidronate therapy on bone loss in early postmenopausal women who are not undergoing hormonal replacement therapy.

This study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness and tolerability of cyclical etidronate therapy in the prevention of bone loss occurring in early postmenopausal women who are not undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A total of 109 Caucasian women aged 45-60 years were treated with etidronate 400 mg/day or placebo for 14 days followed by calcium supplementation 500 mg/day for 77 days. Ninety-one women completed the 2 years of the study. After 2 years, the estimated difference between the two groups as regards lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) was 2.53% (SEM 1.07%; p = 0.01); BMD of the hip and wrist were not significantly different between treatment groups. A clear reduction in bone turnover was obtained as evidenced by a significant decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase level and in urinary N-telopeptide/ creatinine ratio in the etidronate group; the difference between the two groups was -12% +/- 3.2% for serum alkaline phosphatase level (p = 0.019) and -22.9% +/- 13.7% for the urinary N-telopeptide/creatinine ratio (p = 0.047). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the serum osteocalcin levels and urinary hydroxyproline/ creatinine and calcium/creatinine ratios. Etidronate was generally well tolerated and its adverse event profile was similar to that of placebo. The results of this study indicate that cyclic etidronate therapy can prevent trabecular bone loss, with no deleterious effect on cortical bone, in the first 5 years of menopause and that it has a very high safety margin.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Ultrasonographic heel measurements to predict hip fracture in elderly women: the EPIDOS prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The ability of ultrasonographic measurements to discriminate between patients with hip fracture and age-matched controls has until now been tested mainly through cross-sectional studies. We report the results of a prospective study to assess the value of measurements with ultrasound in predicting the risk of hip fracture. METHODS: 5662 elderly women (mean age 80.4 years) had both baseline calcaneal ultrasonography measurements and femoral radiography (dual-photon X-ray absorptiometry, DPXA) to assess their bone quality. Follow-up every 4 months enabled us to identify incident fractures. 115 hip fractures were recorded during a mean follow-up duration of 2 years. FINDINGS: Low calcaneal ultrasonographic variables (obtained from measurements of broadband ultrasound attenuation by, and speed of sound through the bone) were able to predict an increased risk of hip fracture, with similar accuracy to low femoral bone mineral density (BMD) obtained by DPXA. The relative risk of hip fracture for 1 SD reduction was 2.0 (95% CI 1.6-2.4) for ultrasound attenuation and 1.7 (1.4-2.1) for speed of sound, compared with 1.9 (1.6-2.4) for BMD. After control for the femoral neck BMD, ultrasonographic variables remained predictive of hip fracture. The incidence of hip fracture among women with values above the median for both calcaneal ultrasound attenuation and femoral neck BMD was 2.7 per 1000 woman-years, compared with 19.6 per 1000 woman-years for those with values below the median for both measures. INTERPRETATION: Ultrasonographic measurements of the os calcis predict the risk of hip fracture in elderly women living at home as well as DPXA of the hip does, and the combination of both methods makes possible the identification of women at very high or very low risk of fracture.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Relative influence of age and menopause on total and regional body composition changes in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: We measured total and regional body composition to evaluate the differences in body composition associated with menopause and to determine whether the changes in fat distribution were more related to age or to menopause. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred five healthy white women who had never received estrogen replacement therapy were studied according to menopausal status and age. Bone mass and body composition were measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry. The proportions of android and gynoid fat were calculated in all women and differences were sought by statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared with premenopausal women, postmenopausal women were characterized by a significant increase in the proportion of android fat and the ratio trunk fat/leg fat, whereas the absolute amount of body fat mass did not significantly change. The different variables of android fat distribution tended to correlate better with years since menopause than with age. In multiple linear regression, years since menopause was a predictor of body fat mass and fat trunk, whereas age was not a predictor of any of the fat distribution variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study underlines the early changes in body fat distribution with a shift of body fat toward a more central location in postmenopausal women. This change in fat distribution appears to be more related to menopause than to age and might, together with other factors, contribute to explain the increased cardiovascular risk reported in postmenopausal women.

Aged↗

Can we detect women with low bone mass using clinical risk factors?

The magnitude of osteoporosis, the established relationship between low bone mass and the risk of fracture, and the availability of preventive treatment suggest that the early detection of women with low bone mass is justified. The feasibility of population screening using bone mass measurements remains controversial. Another approach is the use of clinical risk factors to detect women at high risk. However, several studies have demonstrated that the assessment of risk factor status does not appear to be an efficient tool for the identification of perimenopausal women with low bone mass. The poor performance of the prediction models might be explained in part by unmeasured factors, especially genetic factors, which are an important determinant of bone mass. On the other hand, the clinical usefulness of clinical risk factors needs to be more precisely evaluated, especially in the detection of women at high risk for hip fracture.

Bone Density↗

Effect of menopause on femoral and vertebral bone loss.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of menopause on bone loss in the proximal femur and the lumbar spine. The rates of change in bone mineral density (BMD) were measured longitudinally by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the femoral neck (FN), Ward's triangle (WT), and trochanter (TR) together with the lumbar spine in 81 healthy postmenopausal women (45-65 years of age) who had passed a natural menopause, 6 months to 12 years before. A significant correlation between the rate of change and interval since menopause was evidenced. The best fit of the data was a binomial function of interval since menopause at the spine, FN, and WT and a simple linear regression at TR level. At each skeletal site, the rate of bone loss (mean +/- SD) was significantly different (p<0.05) and twice as high in women who were between 6 months and 2 years postmenopausal at enrollment (FN, -1.82 +/- 1.1%; WT, -2.43 +/- 1.7%; TR, -1.12 +/- 1.7%) than in those who were beyond 5 years of menopause (FN, -0.48 +/- 0.8%; WT, -0.68 +/- 2.1% TR, 0.41 +/- 1.2%). A poor correlation (r = 0.39 - 0.42, p<0.001) was found between the rate of vertebral and that of femoral postmenopausal bone loss. This study demonstrates that menopause is associated with a rapid and transient bone loss in BMD of the proximal femur, which declines with time after 3 years. These data suggest that therapy should be initiated as early as possible after menopause to prevent bone loss.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

A prospective two-year study of progestin given alone in postmenopausal women: effect on lipid and metabolic parameters.

OBJECTIVE: A controlled study was conducted to assess the long-term effect of a progestin with very low androgenic potency given alone on serum lipoprotein profile, serum renin substrate, sex hormone-binding globulin levels, and serum antithrombin III activity in early postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-five early postmenopausal women who had not received any form of hormonal treatment after menopause were randomly assigned to a 2-year regimen of 500 micrograms of a progestin derived from 19-norprogesterone (promegestone) or a placebo for 21 days of a 28-day treatment cycle. Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels and other biochemical parameters were measured in the two groups, and differences were sought by statistical analysis. RESULTS: After 2 years of treatment the women in the two groups showed no statistically significant variation from baseline values in the concentrations of any of the biochemical parameters studied. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that a progestin with very low androgenic activity given alone has no influence on lipid profile and hepatic synthesis of several proteins in early postmenopausal women.

Antithrombin III↗

Ultrasound measurements on the os calcis in a prospective multicenter study.

Ultrasonic assessment is a new approach to assess both quality and density. Two ultrasonic parameters are measured on the os calcis: the attenuation or broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and the velocity or speed of sound (SOS). The interunit variations in vitro and in vivo of an ultrasound instrument, the Lunar Achilles system, used in a French multicenter study named EPIDOS, were calculated and the stability of these instruments over a 12-month period was evaluated. A third parameter called "stiffness index," calculated from the SOS and BUA, was also used in this study. The average CV in vitro for the BUA and SOS was 0.92% and 0.12%, respectively, and the average CV in vivo for the BUA, the SOS, and the stiffness index was 1.83%, 0.23%, and 1.9%, respectively. The interunit (or inter-machines) variations were calculated by a one-way analysis of variance. We detected small but significant measurement differences among centers on a phantom for both SOS (maximum significant difference 0.4%) and stiffness (maximum significant difference 3.5%) but not for BUA. Similar differences were found in vivo. The precision over 12 months of the interunit variations in vitro was evaluated by measuring a single phantom traveling from one center to another several times. The range of the CV for the BUA (1.54-0.51%), for the SOS (0.25-0.14%), and for the stiffness index (2.26-1.10%) are explained in part by technical failures. The variation among the five Achilles was estimated by the combined CV which was 1.42% for the BUA, 0.32% for the SOS, and 2.33% for the stiffness index. In conclusion, our findings indicate that equipment from one manufacturer appears to be consistent between machines for the BUA, but not completely for the SOS. The results for this stiffness index are necessarily influenced by both SOS and BUA. The short-term and long-term interunit precision is good, both in vitro and in vivo. Such results provide increased confidence in multicenter clinical trials where ultrasonic data are pooled.

Adult↗

Comparison of the bone mineral content of the lower limbs in men with ischaemic atherosclerotic disease.

In a previous study, the authors demonstrated that in 17 men with ischaemic atherosclerotic disease the bone mineral density (BMD) of the femoral neck was lower than in matched control subjects. The patients with arterial disease were thinner and were heavier smokers than the controls. Osteoporosis and arterial disease of the lower limbs were perhaps due to common risk factors: tobacco consumption and a low body build index. In order to demonstrate the direct effect of atherosclerosis on bone mineral content (BMC), the authors studied by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry the BMC of both legs in 18 men presenting symptomatic arterial disease of the lower limbs quantified by measurement of distal systolic indexes by doppler ultrasonography. The mean BMC of the leg more severely affected by arterial disease was significantly lower than the mean BMC of the leg less affected by arterial disease (512 +/- 76 g versus 495 +/- 80 g: p = 0.003). In 13 of the 18 patients, the BMC was lower in the leg more severely affected by arterial disease; in 4 of 18 the difference between the BMC of the left and right legs was less than 1%, and in a single patient the BMC was higher in the leg more affected by arterial disease. Arterial disease of the lower limbs could lead to bone mineral loss.

Adult↗

The effects of menopause on longitudinal bone loss from the spine.

Two hundred and thirty women aged 45-66 years were divided into three groups according to their menopausal status and were followed to assess the changes in vertebral bone mineral density (BMD). These included 71 premenopausal, 42 perimenopausal, and 117 postmenopausal women. Menopausal status was assessed through menstrual history and plasma concentrations of 17 beta estradiol and luteinizing hormone. BMD was measured by dual photon absorptiometry between 2 and 5 times over an average period of 27 months, and annual rates of changes were calculated by linear regression. BMD decreased significantly (P < 0.0001) in the three groups during the follow-up. Mean (+/- SD) annual rate of change was -0.79 +/- 1.5% for premenopausal, -2.35 +/- 1.5% for perimenopausal, and -1.24 +/- 1.5% for postmenopausal women. There was no difference in the rates of bone loss between the perimenopausal group and the postmenopausal group within 3 years after menopause (1-2 years: -2.34 +/- 2.1%; 2-3 years: -1.9 +/- 1.5%). Thereafter, rates decreased exponentially with time since menopause to fall out at the same level as the premenopausal level. These longitudinal data indicate that vertebral bone loss begins before menopause and accelerates sharply during menopause to decline exponentially with time after 3 years.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Spine and femur densitometry at the menopause: are both sites necessary in the assessment of the risk of osteoporosis?

The aim of our study was to compare the results provided by the measurement of vertebral and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) for assessing the individual risk of osteoporosis as defined by either low BMD and/or rapid bone loss. Vertebral and femoral BMD were measured twice at a mean interval of 21 months in 85 normal, early postmenopausal women who had passed a natural menopause 6 months to 3 years previously. According to the measurement site, 36% (spine), 29% (femoral neck), 35% (Ward's triangle), and 25% (trochanter) fall in the "at risk" category, defined by a BMD value of 1 SD or more below the normal values for premenopausal women. Based on vertebral BMD, 39-48% of the women at risk had a normal femoral BMD. On the other hand, 24-37% of the women classified at risk based on femoral BMD maintained a low risk at the vertebral level. The annual rate of bone loss was significantly greater for the Ward's triangle (-2.7 +/- 3.8%) and femoral neck (-2.1 +/- 2.5%) than for the spine (-1.5 +/- 2.1%) and trochanter (-1.5 +/- 3.4%). There was a significant relationship between the rate of loss measured at the spine and femoral levels (r = 0.34-0.58). Among the 21 women with a rapid vertebral bone loss, 48-67% had a low bone loss at the femoral level and vice versa. The ratio between mean rate of loss and the precision of the measurement sites was greater for the spine (1.6) compared with the femur (1.1-0.71).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Absorptiometry, Photon↗